Posting trays

ABSTRACT

A posting tray of the rectilinear tube type having removable tilt plates of known configuration and disposal wherein the plates are locked against accidental displacement when in their angular or filing positions but are readily removable when lifted vertically.

9 11mm rates 1 8mm 11 1 [111 3,69,05

Lear 11 Mar. 4, 1975 1 POSTING TRAYS 2,574,870 11/1951 Gunn 21 1/51 2,876,780 3/1959 V e] 211/50 X [75] Inventor: 30mph Lear, Snyder- 3,540,786 11/1970 P8361 312/184 [73] Assignee: Posting Equipment Corporation, Buffalo 109,641 2/1940 Australia 312/183 [22] Filed: May 311, 1972 520,744 2/1931 Germany 211/11 114,395 7/1945 Sweden 211/11 [21] APPl- N04 247,602 829,656 1/1952 Germany 1. 312/183 [52] U.S. C1 211/11, 211/51, 312/183 Prim ry ExaminerR0y D. Frazier [51] 1111. (I1 B421 17/12 Assistan EXaminerTh0mas J. Holko {58] Field of Search 2l1/11,50,5l; 312/183,

312/189; 220/22, 221; 206/74 57 ABSTRACT [561 CM 1 13131123111212;22513313536111;1151:1111?(1121 UNITED STATES PATENTS posal wherein the plates are locked 'against accidental 1,814,191 7/1931 Seyl 211/51 displacement when in their angular or filing positions 21249548 7/1941 Swmmer 220/22 but are readily removable when lifted vertical1y.' 2,272,537 2/1942 West 1 211/50 2,371,713 3/1945 Short "220/221 X 1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures 1E Z1 .1A 11 11 .Y/l;

j i 2 15 L4 16 18 5 Pmamau W5 sum 2 or 2 FIG. 5

(IIIIIII'IIII 1 POSTING TRAYS This invention relates to filing trays having spaced pivoted tilt plates between which masses of cards are received for guided movement.

It is an object of the invention to prevent the accidental displacement of the tilt plates when they and the accompanying cards are violently thrown to their angular positions, and yet to permit removal thereof when lifted out of the file vertically. The structure of the filing tray and tilt plates to obtain this objective will be better understood by reference to the accompanying specifications and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a filing tray.

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4

FIG. 6 is a section similar to FIG. 3 showing a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 77 of FIG. 6. I

The filing tray 10 includes a body 11 (FIG. 1 and 2) of open box configurationhaving ends 12 and 13, sides 14 and a base 15. As best viewed in FIG. 3, the base 15 is fabricated of a channel 16 having a bottom 17 and vertical walls 18 terminating in horizontal flanges 19. Floor members 20 have horizontal legs 21 welded to flanges l9 and depending flanges 22 welded to the sides 14. Rectilinear rubber pads 23 are pressed into sockets 24 formed by additional angles 25 welded to the legs 21 in spaced relation to the depending flanges 22 of the floor members 20 and such pads serve as legs to support the tray 10 on the surface of a filing table. An inverted channel 26 having a top 27 and vertical legs 28 terminating in horizontal flanges 29 is welded centrally in channel 16.

A mass of cards (FIG. 2) rests on the floor members 20 of the base 15 and the cards are divided into group G by tilt plates 30 which are transversly mounted in spaced sockets S in the channel 26 for limited angular movement. As best seen in FIG. 4, 5, 6, the tilt plates 30 are rectangular in shape, each having an integral rectangular tab 31 depending from its lower margin. Holes 32 are punched in the corners of each tab and the spacing or pitch of such holes is equal to the distance between the vertical legs 28 of the channel 26. The center of the tab 31 contains a large open notch 35.

The sockets S consist of punched formations disposed symetrically on opposite sides of the channel 26,

each including a pivot slot 36 having a horizontal portion in the channel top 27 (FIG. 4 and 5) and a vertical portion in the vertical channel legs 28 leading into an angular slot 37 in the vertical channel legs 28. The

the notch 35 of the tab straddling the medial portion of channel 26, thus locating the plate: against lateral mislocation. When the plate is moved angularily forward or rearward with the slots 36 serving as a pivot, its angular motion is limited by engagement with the walls of the angular slots 37. Simultanously, the holes 32 of the tab are entered by the projections 39 which effectively lock the plate against angular upward removal.

In the second embodiment of the invention (FIG. 6 and 7), a similar locking strucutre is supplied in a different base 45 having an integral medial depressed channel formation 46. Pairs of sockets S, identical to the sockets S, are struck in the vertical walls 47 of the channel formation 46 and in the adjacent horizontal portion of the base 45. Rectangular plates 48 have depending tab portions 49 containing holes 50 registering with the vertical walls 47 of the channel formation 46. As seen in FIG. 7, the tilt plates 48 are locked against angular lifting displacement in the same manner as the plates 30 of the first embodiment.

Refering to FIG. 2, it will be observed that when the plates and accompanying cards are tilted to a cleavage angle of about 36, the plates are locked against displacement regardless of the violence which this opera tion may be performed. When it is desired to remove a plate, it is brought to a vertical position and then lifted straight up without interference.

I claim:

1. A posting tray of open box formation comprising a longitudinally extending bottom with a centrally disposed downwardly extending first channel extending longitudinally thereof, said channel having vertically spaced legs with a transverse horizontal leg extending between said vertical legs, a second inner central channel disposed within said first channel with a horizontal leg extending between vertical legs with said second channel vertical legs being spaced inwardly of said first channel vertical legs and being secured at their lower edges to the transverse leg of said first channel, and pivot slots having elongated transverse horizontal (slots) slot portions disposed in said second inner channel horizontal leg and extending inwardly of said inner .channel vertical legs, and (angular slots) vertical slot portions disposed in said inner channel vertical legs, and (said) angular slots intersecting said (horizontal slots) vertical slot portions and having lower upwardly converging portions, and middle portions with horizontal walls extending toward each other to form a catch thereon, at the intersection with said vertical slot portions (and upper portions with vertical walls entering said horizontal slots,) a plurality of rectangular tilt plates in said tray each having a pair of spaced rectangular tabs extending from its lower margin with each plate having its spaced tabs disposed transversely in said horizontal (slots) slot portions and said tabs having encircled openings thereinpositioned to be in transverse and longitudinal alignment with said angular slots and extending inwardly and outwardly thereof, to register therewith to permit said horizontal walls of said angular slots to extend into said openings to lock said plates therein when said plates are disposed angularly with a vertical plane. 

1. A posting tray of open box formation comprising a longitudinally extending bottom with a centrally disposed downwardly extending first channel extending longitudinally thereof, said channel having vertically spaced legs with a transverse horizontal leg extending between said vertical legs, a second inner central channel disposed within said first channel with a horizontal leg extending between vertical legs with said second channel vertical legs being spaced inwardly of said first channel vertical legs and being secured at their lower edges to the transverse leg of said first channel, and pivot slots having elongated transverse horizontal (slots) slot portions disposed in said second inner channel horizontal leg and extending inwardly of said inner channel vertical legs, and (angular slots) vertical slot portions disposed in said inner channel vertical legs, and (said) angular slots intersecting said (horizontal slots) vertical slot portions and having lower upwardly converging portions, and middle portions with horizontal walls extending toward each other to form a catch thereon, at the intersection with said vertical slot portions (and upper portions with vertical walls entering said horizontal slots,) a plurality of rectangular tilt plates in said tray each having a pair of spaced rectangular tabs extending from its lower margin with each plate having its spaced tabs disposed transversely in said horizontal (slots) slot portions and said tabs having encircled openings therein positioned to be in transverse and longitudinal alignment with said angular slots and extending inwardly and outwardly thereof, to register therewith to permit said horizontal walls of said angular slots to extend into said openings to lock said plates therein when said plates are disposed angularly with a vertical plane. 